Man receives two years for child abuse

A 49-year-old Taneytown man was sentenced yesterday to two years in jail for raping and sexually abusing his daughter, then 11, while his wife was at work or out playing bingo.

The man, who is not being identified to protect the child's privacy, was sentenced to 12 years in prison with all but two

years suspended on the child-abuse charge. He received a concurrent 10-year term with all but two years suspended on the rape charge.

Upon his release, he will be placed on five years of supervised probation.

Carroll Circuit Judge Raymond E. Beck Sr. also ordered that the man register as a sex offender, provide a DNA sample, have no contact with the child or any person younger than age 18 and complete a treatment program for sexual offenders, as directed by his mental health therapist.

According to court records, the abuse occurred on about 20 occasions between March 1 and Dec. 31 last year.

The girl told investigators that she did not tell anyone at first because her father warned that she would "go to a home and he would go to jail" if anyone found out.